Monkey Trouble
by linagabriev
Summary: Lina, Gourry, and Zelgadis are looking for a book about Shabranigdo and events unfold that remind them that getting involved with the Dark Lord is never profiticious. L/G, A/Z, Oneshot.


**Monkey Trouble**

By: Lina Gabriev

Disclaimer: Slayers is owned by Hajime Kanzaka. I'm not making any money off this story.

Summary: Lina, Gourry, and Zelgadis are looking for a book about Shabranigdo and events unfold that remind them that getting involved with the Dark Lord is never profiticious.

Word Count: 4,713

Warnings: Lina/Gourry, Some Amelia/Zelgadis. After NEXT (That's as far as I have gotten)

AN: This is my first attempt at Slayers Fanfiction or any fanfic for that matter.

* * *

It was a warm spring day. The sun was out, the birds chirping and there was just enough of a breeze so the heat was bearable. Just a perfect day for an adventure. As luck, or more likely, fate would have it, three travelers were out dining. Unfortunately, for the monsters around and especially the restaurant owners, Lina Inverse was no ordinary traveller.

"TRIPLE PORTIONS!"

"Yeah, triple portions," the redhead's blonde companion agrees.

Waiting for the traditional bug eyed look of the waitress, Zel coughs, and asks for coffee once he receives her attention .

"Uh.. Right away," the waitress replied quickly scurring back to the kitchen.

"So Lina, why exactly are we here again," the swordsman asks the redhead.

Leveling him with a trained, annoyed glare, she smacks him over the head whilst answering his question.

"I have already told you three times," Lina sighs, frustrated, "Oh whatever, we here because we found a lead on a legendary spell book about Shabranigdo. OK.Gourry?"

"Huh? What?. I wasn't listening" Gourry manages to say right before he is pummeled.

"Dammit Gourry! Don't ask questions if you don't have any intention of listening," Lina said, grinding her teeth.

"Could we begin at least one morning with an enjoyable breakfast without you two fighting?"

"Oh what's wrong Zel? You should learn to have more fun once and a while. And why don't you take that hood down, jeez. It doesn't make us look mysterious in the bright morning. It makes us look shady," Lina says with annoyance.

"Lina we are looking for this book to find my cure.. right?" Zelgadis asks.

"Well, of course we are. The spells in it are very powerful and, but I mean, it could have a possible cure in it, right?"

"LINA, why do you always do this?" Zelgadis said exasperated.

"Zel, look. The spells in it are indescribable. And truthfully, it could have a cure and it also ups my magic. Ok? I mean after all it was really Shabranigdo who cursed you. Makes sense that the sure would come from a spellbook filled with spells to call upon his power."

"Yeah, Whatever,"Zel said, and continued his rant by mumbling to himself, "And they wonder why I always go off alone."

"Okay. So basically we are trying to find so old book on stuff from this guy...Shabrabingo, Right?"

"Gourry, that's Shabranigdo and yes that's right. You'd think you finally get his name right after he almost destroyed the world..."

Saving Zelgadis from having Gourry make a stupid comment, a parade of waiters and waitress come walking out of the kitchen.

"This is going to be a long night."

"Gourry give that back! Its mine!" Lina yells after Gourry stuffs the chicken down his gullet.

"Yes, it's definitely going to be a very long night," Zelgadis confirms.

* * *

"So Lina Inverse is looking for the legendary book of Lord Ruby Eye," a distinctly female voice purred.

"Yes mistress."

"Is Xelloss with her?" she asks.

"No Mistress Desdemona. Although she does have two others with her. They seem to be a swordsman and a sorcerer," he said, offering out the magical device to his mistress.

"Such a pity, it would have made everything so much easier if Xelloss was with them. Oh well."

She plucked the monkey totem from her minion's hand, animating it, she ordered, "Go have a little fun with our travelers." The monkey disappeared from sight and then Desdemona threw a fireball at her minion, destroying him. He had overstayed his welcome.

* * *

Lina, Gourry, and Zelgadis left the inn soon after eating breakfast. They tried asking the villages if they had any information on the book they were looking for. Unfortunately for Zelgadis a festival in the town was going on. So pretty much all that they got was "Would you like to buy this exotic..."

Not surprisingly, Lina and Gourry seemed to be enjoying themselves.

"Oh this is so yummy," Lina said between licks of her ice cream cone.

"Oh I totally agree." Gourry said as he munched on his cotton candy.

Already in an annoyed state by his companion's lack of motivation, Zel turned towards the scenery, sighing at his choice to stay with Lina and Gourry.

Distracted by his thoughts, he didn't notice when a monkey sprung out from the shadows until after to jumped on Zel's shoulder and touched one of his ears.

People started looking at them and laughing thinking the monkey was part of the show. Before Zel gets the chance to swat the creature away, it already jumped on Lina's shoulder, startling her into dropping her ice cream cone.

"Why you! FIRE..mphhhh" Lina manages to say before the monkey cover her mouth with his hand. Starting to feel lightheaded, Lina stumbles holding her hand to her head.

"Lina! Are you alright?" Gourry asks, crouching down, giving the monkey the opportunity to transfer from Lina to the back of Gourry's neck. Before Gourry can assess Lina's state, he finds his eyes covered by the monkey.

While confusion set in, the animal jumped up onto a ledge and disappeared.

* * *

Ignoring her headache, Lina straightens her posture, turning towards the boys. "Lets go find that book guys."

Soon forgetting the strange occurrence in town, Gourry and Lina start goofing off again with Zel continuing to scold them to be more serious.

"Can we please go back to the inn. It's hot, I'm hot and I really want a bath," Lina whined.

"Look, if we don't find the book today, I'll understand, but could you at least be serious long enough so that we can find some information on the book of Lord Ruby Eye."

Conveniently, a old peddler steps in, "Oh? You are looking for Lord Shabranigdo's book?"

Missing the reverence the old lady emphasized with the name, Lina's shouted excitedly, "You know where it is? TELL ME! TELL ME."

Zelgadis, however, was not so fooled. "How do you know that's what we were looking for? Or that we were even looking for something."

"Well for one thing it's the only thing worth anything around these parts. Secondly, I overheard you talking about it," the peddler told them.

"Details, details, so where is this book?" Lina asked, beginning to become annoyed.

"It is kept in that castle on top of that large hill past that town over there. The owner of the book lives there," the peddler woman told them, causing Lina to cringe at the day's journey that lay ahead of them. And seeing as how late in the day it was, they would not get very far.

"Thanks," Lina said and took Gourry by the hair and started walking in that very direction with Zelgadis not too far behind.

"So Lina Inverse, you fall for this old disguise," the peddler woman takes off the hood only to show Desdemona, her green eyes twinkling with delight.

* * *

"So if the owner of the book puts up a fight, we snatch the book and Dragon Slave the castle. Seeing how far from the next town is from the hill, the city will definitely survive. Probably," Lina said to anyone listening.

Zelgadis strained his ears to listen but got only words like 'book, Dragon, castle'. He could not even hear Gourry's stupid comment on that would be a first for the city to actually survive, but definitely saw the pummeling he got for the comment.

"Lina? What are you talking about? We aren't looking for a book about a Dragon in a castle. It's about Shabranigdo, remember?" Zel said, confused.

"What? I said that if the owner of the book puts up a fight, we snatch the book and Dragon Slave the castle, " Lina said, watching as Zel's expression only became more confused. Zel just continued to stare at her lips as if they had turned into a three-headed monster. Seeing Lina's confusion and worry, Zel just nodded, and turned away.

* * *

Murphy's law in effect, the clouds brewed a storm up, but the three weary travelers paid no such attention, distracted by more pressing issues.

"Hey Zel, are you listening?"

After a few moments Lina shouts "ZEL!" once more before hitting him on the head. How dare he ignore her! Although hitting him only serves to have her own hand throbbing afterwards. So, she put her hands together to form a fireball.

This, thankfully catches Zel's attention, and he ducks, waiting for the explosion.

It never came.

She couldn't say the spell. Before she got to contemplate this, out of the corner of her eye she saw Gourry stumble. So she called out to him.

Well...she tried. Lina blinked before her eyebrows rose, hiding beneath her headband. She couldn't say anything at all!

* * *

As usual, Gourry wasn't really listening. He knew that there were trying to get a spell-book about Shabrabingo...or something, and...well that's pretty much all he knew.

Proud of himself that he remembered, he noticed Zelgadis was about to be Fireballed. He walked a little faster trying to get out of the line of Lina's attack when his vision started to blur. He stumbled and tripped, the last thing he saw was a blur of red rushing toward him before everything went black.

'Gourry' Lina mouthed and took a sudden intake of breath when she couldn't speak.

"What happened?" Zelgadis asked.

"Guys I can't see! Are my eyes closed?"

Gourry stood up and brushed himself off. He started walking hands in front of him so that he doesn't bump into anything. Gourry sighs with relief once he recognizes the person in front of him.

* * *

"Lina? Oh yeah, small breasts, yep this is definitely Lina," Gourry comments, offhandedly.

"GOURRY!' Lina mouths, scandalized for only a moment before giving Gourry a good roundhouse kick, blushing all the while.

"Guys could you please say something?" Zelgadis asks.

Lina and Gourry look at each other thoroughly confused.

Well Gourry would have looked at Lina but was in fact staring at a rock in the other direction.

"Zelgadis are you okay?" Gourry asks the rock.

"Lina, Gourry I can't hear you!"

Meanwhile, Lina jerkedly points to her throat, trying to tell Zelgadis her inability to speak.

"Lina, I said I can't hear you,"

Lina waves Zelgadis over to where she is, plops down on the ground and starts writing in the dirt.

_'I can't speak, you numbskull.'_

Zel makes an 'Oh' face in understanding.

"Could you guys please explain what's going on here?" Gourry asks finally turned the right way. Zelgadis looks at Lina and Lina writes what Gourry said in the dirt.

"It appears someone has stolen your eyesight, my hearing, and Lina's ability to speak. To make a long story short right now we have a blind swordsman, a sorceress who can't even speak her spells, a chimera who's lost his hearing."

"But who could have done this?" Gourry asks.

Lina writes what Gourry said in the muddy dirt for Zelgadis and then snaps her fingers finally figuring it out. Zelgadis could barely make Lina's handwriting out because of the light drizzle that had started.

"Do you know who did it, Lina?" Zelgadis asks, forgetting he will not receive a verbal answer. Not that he could hear it anyways.

Lina starts making embarrassing movements, trying to look like a monkey.

"Now we have to play charades. Oh this is going to take forever." Zel complains.

After awhile he said," Oh do you mean that monkey in that town we were just in?"

Lina nodded vigorously and sighs in relief he got it finally. She then proceeds to glare at Zel, as if he took a long time to figure it out on purpose.

* * *

They were close to the town, which was lucky since the light drizzle started to pour on top of them harder. They make a run for the nearest inn.

Lina was soaked from head to toe with water, as was Gourry and Zelgadis. She was annoyed, tired, and hungry. Worst of all, she couldn't even complain out loud.

Which is why she wasn't at all amused when a burly man grabbed her butt. "Hey honey. What's your name?"

Turning her death glare on him, she mouthed something inappropriate before drop kicking the poor, intoxicated man into the table. The room went silent, not that it made any difference to Zel, as Lina brushed past him in a huff.

After, she stormed over to the innkeeper and requested three rooms. Or rather, she opened her mouth in an attempt to do so.

Thankfully Zelgadis saw what she was trying to do and told the innkeeper that they need rooms. Once that was settled, they all went to there separate little rooms and dried off and looked forward to the much needed sleep.

* * *

Lina sat by the mirror looking at her reflection as she began to wring the water out of her long unruly hair.

Its not the fact that she thought this was to hard for her to handle, but more like she was too tired to deal with it right now. All she wanted to do was find a book. It seems this is how a lot of her adventures start out.

Afterall, stealing a harmless Orihalcon Statue started a chain of events that led to the rebirth of Shabranigdo.

Then when Hellmaster sent a couple of Mazoku out after Lina (namely Xelloss) she ended up having to use the Giga Slave again. She just wanted things to go smoothly for once. But No--. Of course not.

_I wish Amelia was here_. _She deserves this "no speaking" curse more than I do. Although, that would be more of a blessing than a curse. No more justice speeches. _

But it was more than that. She could never forgive someone who made her feel so very vulnerable like this. At least Amelia's speeches get her moving, even if it's just to make her stop saying them. She shook off those thoughts and went to bed, quickly falling asleep.

* * *

In Gourry's room he has unscathed the Sword of Light running his fingers over the metal.

He tried a few swings out, to get comfortable with the lost sense. He'd be useless in this adventure otherwise.

A sweatdrop appeared on his forehead when he broke a lamp off the dresser. After a few more swings, and more broken glass, he gave up and went to bed.

* * *

Meanwhile, a light breeze flowed from the opened window in Zel's room. He had tried to make some noise in the room, but gave up after met with several failures.

He growled, plopping down in a chair in the room.

_First I'm turned into a chimera. I become a monster. Where is that silver lining now, Amelia? At least as a chimera I was given superhuman abilities. Now, the best attribute that I gained from the change, aside from magic, is taken away. Some kind of justice. _

With that, he settled down to sleep, hoping that the curse would wear off in the monring.

* * *

The next morning, Zelgadis found he slept longer than usual, still lacking his sense of hearing. He made his way downstairs, find Lina and Gourry already up.

"FOOD!" Gourry shouted as Lina's mouth continued to water as the waiters put the last bit of plates on the table.

Zelgadis joined them, frowning, ordering a cup of coffee.

"Just because I'm blind, Lina, doesn't mean I don't hear you taking my food," Gourry whined.

Lina and Gourry continued to fight over the food while Zelgadis drank his coffee.

Before setting off, Lina bought a notebook with Zel's help to solve the communication problem.

* * *

"So basically," Zel said, reading Lina' s notebook, "you want to go to the next town, sleep, eat, go to the castle the next morning, grab the book, and try to find a way to reverse this curse put on us." Lina nodded her head vigorously.

"Yes Gourry?" Zelgadis said seeing Gourry's hand in the air.

"Why do we still need that dumb book?"

Pause. Lina quickly writes what Gourry said and hands it to Zelgadis.

"Gourry, you are the last person to be calling a book dumb," Zel said for Lina.

"Anyway we are looking for the book of spells from the Dark Lord. Hopefully there might be a spell to reverse this curse on us. To be honest, the curse might have been placed on us on purpose. Probably because someone found out that we are after the book."

"The Dark Lord is going to give us a book of spells. Gee that's sure nice of him, " Gourry said.

Seeing, Gourry speak, Zel waits for Lina to translate. Rolling her eyes, she "translates".

"No Gourry that's not what I meant. Don't you remember when we were talking about finding a spell book yesterday." Zelgadis asked frowning at the very messy handwriting.

"No, not really," Gourry answered.

"My mistake," Zelgadis said, catching Gourry's head shake.

"Gourry. Do me a favor. Don't talk unless its important. This way of communicating is an inconvenience as it is," Zel said, mumbling to himself: "I wonder how Lina can always explain things to him like this and didn't kill him yet."

As blissful quiet settled in, Lina glanced nervously at her most pressing issue: the hand intertwined with hers. _For Gourry's safety. Of course_.

_Damn. Now I am going to have to depend on Zelgadis or Gourry to help me since I can't say my spells._

Looking over at them, she groaned. Zel was mumbling to himself, probably hating karma, while Gourry still managed to bruise his elbow and trip, despite holding her hand.

_Holding my hand._

Blushing, and frustrated with herself for doing so, she hummed in her head trying to stop herself from moaning about her own inadequacies, for fear of being like Zel.

_This sucks. I should be depending on myself._

_First Naga and now this._ _I got away from Naga, going off on my own, and intending to stay on my own, and I meet up with a perky princess, stubborn chimera, and a dumb swordsman. _

_Who is holding my hand. _

_ARG!_

* * *

Another day wasted, they decide that with their handicap, their best course of action would be to set off in the morning. Thankfully, and probably for tourists, a small inn is halfway between the castle and the town behind them.

* * *

Before going to bed, Lina drops off the Sword of Light in Gourry's room, as he had given it to her on their journey, since he couldn't protect her with it.

"Lina?" Gourry asked from his seat on the bed. He had his back to the door, but when she walked in, he turned to face her.

Lina jumped back startled, wondering how he knew it was her.

As if to answer the question she couldn't ask he told her, "You shuffle your feet. Well you do when there isn't a buffet or gold in the horizon."

Totally passing over the crack about her greed, Lina's heart pounded in her chest.

_So he knew how I walk. But this is Gourry. Gourry who couldn't remember anything from a few minutes ago. _

_Yet he remembered this small detail about me._

A blush had risen itself to her cheeks and heart pounded faster as she walked to Gourry placing the sword in his hands.

"Come sit down for a minute," Gourry said patting the seat on his bed next to him.

Without much thought, she did so, immediately.

"So what do you think of all of this?" He waited as if he expected her to answer.

_Stupid Gourry doesn't he remember I can't talk? Oh wait stupid question._

As if reading her thoughts Gourry shouted at her, "I am not stupid!"

Lina jumped up startled. She heard Gourry angry before, but it wasn't directed at her, as much as brought forth as an effort to...protect her.

"I'm not stupid," Gourry repeated in a softer tone.

"I know I am not very smart, but I not stupid. Maybe you not being able to talk is a blessing so I can finally tell you how I feel about you. So that you will finally listen to me and what I have to say."

Lina's heart continued to pound loudly. She was surprised the Lord of Nightmares didn't come in and say "Keep it down!". She considered running away, but her feet seemed glued to the ground.

"Lina, day by day you insult me, beat me up, and continuously take me for granted. Maybe it'd be better if I leave," Gourry told her.

Lina's breath caught in her throat and she fought back tears.

_Gourry gone. Gourry not here_ was the only intelligent thought in her mind.

"But for some reason I just can't. Can't leave," Gourry paused, as if reassuring himself that he won't get Dragon Slaved for continuing.

"Lina, I--," Gourry shakily said.

_He isn't going to say it. He can't possibly. He can't. He can't. _

"love you," Gourry said and then more firmly, "Lina, I love you. I really do no matter what you say. I don't know a whole lot. But if you don't feel the same way that's okay, you know. I just hope even after I said that, that you'll let me still travel with you. Will you?"

Lina sat back down on his bed, in agreement.

They sat like that for awhile. Not talking. Just lost in the thought.

After a few minutes Lina left and went to her room and went to bed.

* * *

_She left._

Gourry sat on the bed staring into the direction he knew she left in.

_Stupid! Stupid! Now she'll never talk to you again even if she gets her voice back! I am officially Giga Slaved._

Gritting his teeth, he went to bed.

That night, his first visions since he lost his sight unfortunately consisted of getting effectively Giga Slaved.

Breakfast that morning was very silent.

On the way Lina wrote on her notebook to Zelgadis how Gourry had been able to read her mind.

"Maybe because the loss of his eyesight, Gourry is developing a 6th sense," Zelgadis volunteered, "Today I have been able to see far better than ever before. Maybe if concentrate on the senses we do have we can get through this."

At this, Lina and Gourry both had very shocked look on their faces.

_Zelgadis is optimistic?! Something definitely is strange around here._

Zelgadis understanding why they were surprised grumbled for the duration of the journey.

* * *

Unfortunately, they underestimated the amount of time it would take to arrive.

By the time they made it to the castle, the sun set.

"Anyone home?" Gourry asks.

_Gourry still manages to be dumb._

Sighing, Lina hits him over the head, putting her finger over her mouth in a silencing gesture, forgetting he couldn't see her.

_Okay. Now I'm dumb._

Rubbing his head, Gourry asks loudly, " What did you do that for Lina?"

Then Zelgadis taps Gourry lightly after reading Lina's message, "Be quiet."

Huffing, Lina puts her notebook away, only to feel a spell hit her from behind.

Then for all three unaware travellers, there was darkness for all senses.

Lina eyes slowly opened as she realized she was prison and handcuffed to the wall.

"So she finally awakes. I have heard stories of how you killed Shabranigdo, but now I am highly unimpressed. To have yourself given in so easily from a simple sleep spell."

_Che. You hit me from behind you coward._

"Who are you? What do you want?" Gourry said, as Lina finally realized that Gourry had already been awake.

"My name is Desdemona. I am a Mazoku created by Xelloss. I want to find Xelloss. Where is he?" Desdemona demanded, "You will die tonight if you do not tell me human!"

_Jeez. Woman scorned much? I should have known. This had Xelloss written all over it._ Stupid Trickster.

"We don't know where he is. We haven't seen him. What do you want with him?" Gourry asked her or more precisely it.

"He turned me into the monster I am now. Do you think I want to be a Mazoku? I...he..HE MADE ME KILL MY OWN FAMILY!" Desdemona screamed, lashing out at Gourry with a dagger she was carrying, "You will tell me where he is! YOU WILL!"

Not allowing him much chance to answer, had he known what to say, Desdemona sends a lashing curse for Gourry, who screems murder.

Right next to him, Lina not being able to say anything to comfort him, would have given anything to be cursed so she wouldn't be able to hear his screams.

"Gourry," Zelgadis, finally awake, looks at the poor state his friend was in.

"Oh so now you're awake too. Your friend was getting boring. Can you keep me entertained?" Desdemona said, advancing on Zel.

Before Zel is able to inquire as to what she wanted, Desdemona becomes distracted by a change in the air as another presence filled the room.

"YOU," Desdemona said, her voice dripping with hatred.

"Oh Desdemona how nice to see you again," Xelloss greeted.

Upon seeing Lina and the others added, "How are you doing Lina?"

Leveling him with her best death glare, she turns her gaze back at Gourry in worry,

Lashing out in fury, Xelloss teleports in and out, smiling all the while. One of the spells hit Zel, slicing at the upper area of his hand, and also effectively breaking the chain confining him.

Wasting now time, Zelgadis untangles himself, wincing at his wound, before helping free Lina and Gourry.

Meanwhile, Xelloss is find himself in a fun predicament, as Desdemona proves her stupidity by her uncalculated power. Blasting another stream of energy at him, she bursts a hole in the wall, where Xelloss had been standing, revealing the throne room.

Reappearing again, much closer to Desdemona, enjoying her surprise, he flips out a totem he retrieved earlier, destroyed it in front of her.

Started to back away, she finally turns her attention back to the travellers, bumping into a very angry Lina.

Chalking this up as a loss...for now, Desdemona teleports out. Or tries to. Then she looked at Xelloss.

_He immobolized me! I am going to die here! _

"..I pledge myself to conquer all the fools who stand against the mighty  
gift bestowed on my unworthy hands. Let the who stand before me be  
destroyed by the power you and I possess...

DRAGON SLAVE!"

* * *

The castle behind them ceased to exist. Along with a big chunk of the mountain.

"Lina I know you were mad and all but you could have killed us!" Gourry whined after the healing spell was complete.

"Hey Lina.. where is Zelgadis?" Gourry asked

"He probably went off on his own again. We'll meet up again more than likely and more trouble will ensue." Lina answered, making it sound as if Zel was the source of their problems.

"For once it's good Xelloss showed up, I suppose."

"This is his fault. She was after Xelloss," Lina muttered.

After a few moments, Lina gave up and gave in.

"G-Gourry."

_Just say it._

"Did you mean what you said?I mean--Jeez."

_Smoooooth._

"I won't leave Lina. I'm sorry for saying that...unless you want me to," Gourry said.

Lina looked back up at him, surprised.

_I guess that sixth sense didn't wear off when the totem was broken. _

_Or maybe it has always been there._

"Don't be silly Jellyfish brains! I still haven't gotten that sword from you, and remember what I said, I'll be sticking to you like glue until I do," Lina smiled, whacking him on the head.

Another silence ensued. This one comfortable.

Before they began bickering again.

* * *

Zelgadis walked through the woods, trying to think of somewhere that might be a good place to start to look for his cure. Then he heard the sweetest voice he'll know.

"Mister Zelgadis?" a girl asked from the shadows.

"Amelia, what are you doing here?" Zelgadis asked.

"My daddy let me go find you guys." Amelia answered.

"Lina and Gourry went that way," Zelgadis sighed pointing in the direction Lina and Gourry had taken.

"Actually, I was wondering if I could travel with you, Mister Zelgadis?" Amelia asked with pleading eyes.

Zelgadis seemed taken aback by this and then his expression softened, "Sure you can come."

* * *

**THE END**

* * *

Author's Note:

Finally, I am finished. I never understood how hard it was to write a fanfic. I thought it was easy.

Here's some notes for you all:

- Desdemona means "of the devil".

- I know Gourry probably would not yell at Lina, but for once, I would like him to stand up for himself even if it is against one of my favorite characters.

10/20/08: I rewrote this a bit. Before, I made Gourry seem too stupid, made awkward dialogue and commentary. It isn't perfect (not that it ever would be) but I hope its more refined now.

* * *


End file.
